A Kenyan nurse based in the United States, Judy Nyakerario, has shared how a matatu investment she started while working in a senior corporate role in Kenya eventually turned into a financial burden, forcing her to exit the business at a loss.
In a personal account shared on Facebook, Nyakerario says she ventured into the matatu sector while still employed as a Medical Claims Manager overseeing a team of 40 employees.
“I was a Medical Claims Manager in corporate, managing a team of 40 people,” she said. “Good pay, good benefits. But I wanted extra income, so I started thinking about business.”
From corporate job to matatu ownership
Nyakerario says her decision was influenced by Nairobi’s matatu culture, commonly known as “nganya” or “manyanga,” which is associated with customised vehicles, loud music, and visual branding.
Living in Ongata Rongai at the time, she says she frequently saw the flashy matatus and became interested in owning one.
“I saw these highly pimped matatus every day and I told myself I want one. Not just any matatu, but a proper Manyanga,” she said.
She explains that she purchased a new vehicle and invested heavily in modifications, including paintwork, interior upgrades, lighting, and entertainment systems.
According to her account, she secured a bank loan of about KSh 6 million and added KSh 1 million from her savings as a deposit.
Early returns and optimism
For the first few months, Nyakerario says the business appeared profitable, with daily earnings helping to service the loan and cover expenses.
“The first six months were sweet. I would leave work at 5pm and get messages like, ‘Madam, we banked 11,000 today,’” she said.
She believed she had successfully balanced corporate work and business ownership.
“I thought I had cracked it. Corporate income and matatu income. What could go wrong?”
Challenges begin to mount
By the seventh month, she says the business started facing multiple operational challenges including police fines, traffic delays, mechanical breakdowns, and theft by crew members.
“Every week it was police, fines, or documents issues,” she said. “Then traffic jam reduced trips. Then breakdowns came. The money started disappearing.”
She adds that frequent repairs and unexpected costs quickly reduced profits, while loan repayments remained constant.
“The bank never waits. Even when the matatu was parked for repairs, they still deducted 90,000 monthly,” she said.
She also recalls incidents of staff disappearance and vehicle impoundment, which further affected operations.
Financial strain and exit
After about 18 months, Nyakerario says she reviewed her finances and realised the business was not performing as expected.
“I had paid about 1.6 million to the bank, made around 1.2 million in profit, but I was still in loss when you factor everything,” she said.
She eventually sold the matatu at a loss of about KSh 3.8 million.
Lessons learned
Nyakerario now says the experience changed her approach to investment and risk.
“Not every good-looking business is a good business,” she said. “A loan can become a chain if the business is not properly understood.”
She warns against relying on surface-level impressions when evaluating business opportunities.
“Drivers will tell you they are banking 12,000 a day, but they will not tell you about police, repairs, and losses,” she said.
Final reflection
She describes the experience as a difficult but important lesson while balancing employment and entrepreneurship.
“I was a boss in corporate by day and a stressed matatu owner by night,” she said. “It taught me that hustle without guidance can be expensive.”